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Hotel and Short Term Rentals

Hotel Occupancy Taxes

Every person owning, operating, managing, or controlling any hotel or collecting payment for occupancy in any hotel shall collect the Hotel Occupancy Tax from their guests for the City of Austin.

A Hotel is any building or buildings in which the public may obtain sleeping accommodations for a cost of 2 dollars or more each day for a consecutive duration of 30 days or less. This includes, without limitation, hotels, motels, tourist homes, vacation rentals by owner, houses or courts, lodging houses, inns, hostels, rooming houses, bed and breakfasts, short-term vacation rentals or other buildings where rooms are furnished for consideration. It does not include hospitals, sanitariums or nursing homes.

Source: 1992 Code Section 5-3-1:Ord, 031204-10; Ord. 031211-11

Only properties in Austin’s Full Purpose Jurisdiction should collect the City of Austin’s Hotel Occupancy Tax.

Check the property jurisdiction here

The revenue derived from the Hotel Occupancy Tax is used to promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry in Austin.

Operating License

No person may operate a boarding house, hotel, rooming house, short-term rental, or bed and breakfast establishment unless a license for the operation, in the name of the owner or operator and for the specific dwelling unit, partial unit, accessory unit, building, structure, or property used, has been issued by the code official and is currently valid and in good standing. (Ordinance 20130926-144 Chapter 13-1302)

Properties in Austin’s Full Purpose Jurisdiction and in Limited Purpose Jurisdiction require an operating license.

Check the property jurisdiction here

Only properties in the Austin Full Purpose Jurisdiction can register and renew their operating license on this website. All others will need to contact DSD Code Compliance at strlicensing@austintexas.gov to obtain information about how to submit an application or renewal.